Stutopia

Whoop whoop, from the jaws of defeat a victory is snatched! Slopped on some hammerite to the newly "polished" surface, if you look extremely closely there is a minor colour mismatch. I won't say where, in case you don't notice. Did some historicals as well whilst the brush was out. I then used a highly sophisticated technique to test the new brake light, employing a handy bit of trim, already off from doing another job. Apologies for the filthy footwell, I am suitably embarrassed. Bish bash bosh, fully LEDed up. Job's a good 'un. Thanks for the positive comments yesterday, I needed it after a 20 minute job decided to try and wipe out my weekend. PS - The unorthodox deployment of some boxed, yet to be fitted, boot struts whilst working in the back particularly pleased me.

I like to blow some checkout assistants' minds by flashing a tenner when paying for, say, a £5.30 item. Then when they've put £10 into the supercomputer and it says £4.70, rustle up the extra 30p for a fiver change. This technique actually made one person's face implode, proper Derren Brown style. PS - I know it's childish.

Fair enough....b*tch! Sorry, I couldn't resist. I wouldn't normally but on this thread... ;-)

Is there an 'e' in grammar?

So I left the bolt to think about its, frankly appalling, behaviour overnight. It hasn't changed its stance this morning so we had a full and frank discussion, which ended like this. LEDs now go on and I'm safe to go about my business. However, even a slack workman like me can't leave that damage around the bolt like it is. My plan is to thoroughly clean the area and put some hammerite on the bits of damaged paint. You reckon this will be enough to keep corrosion at bay? Any other suggestions?

I don't mind it on Facebook or forums or text messages, but it's not for me. However, I don't hold it against anyone either. I can deploy punctuation relatively well (auto-incorrect aside) but I'd gladly trade it for some of the skills I see people using on here in their builds and mods, which are way beyond me and deserve respect. However, it fully pisses me off at work when people get it wrong. Don't even get me started on the difference between less and fewer, they get that wrong on the goddamn TV FFS.

The creative approach on this forum continues to amaze me. There's literally nothing people won't attempt or lateral think around. Great skills.

I like the screw back in and modify the light approach flyboy. At least I have a last resort. I knew that dremel would be handy...

No, I was only doing the brake lights so I just opened the boot and pooped the little caps off. First one went in sweet. If the bumper comes off you reckon I could tap it through from bellow with a micro adjuster?

Typical isn't it. Simple job, 20 mins all round, screwed by a thread. I tried a bit of lever action with a screw driver, I suspect this is actually deforming the metal it is screwed into, rather than shifting the bolt. Grrrr. Whilst I'm on this, what's good for painting (normally hidden) scratches, to keep corrosion away. Some grey Hammerite?

Got some facelift LED brake lights. Rear off-side went on sweet, with some minor Stanley knife action to the connector. All tested, worked good. Thanks David for help with this. However, the rear driver-side is being a PITA. Got two of the three bolts out no problem, middle one just turns forever. Applied some minor force and pop off the brake light comes, however the bolt and a small bit of plastic still in place. Tried some mole grips, more turning, pulling - won't shift. I can undo the rear off-side and go back to bulbs, so it's ok for Monday. But I'm loathe to give up and fail. I'm hopeful I can shift this bolt tomorrow and finish the LED install, what I am hoping for is one of you can advise how to deal with this damn bolt and get it out. Tell me there is a magic trick for a bolt that turns forever, please.....

Good shout, I'd assumed as they were bulbs they were same sort of lumen. Thanks, yet again! BTW (sorry for off topic) did you get round to the front speaker grill mod? I might have a pop today if there isn't a foot of snow when I open the curtains. But since I pushed the fade forward, tinkered with the fade and run the speakers in, I am absolutely loving the hertz setup it is crazy loud, but more importantly for me, hugely detailed.

Cheers SMD, but as you suggested, I'm not going for LED fog, it has to be propeply bright for obvious reasons. The link above is to some silvatec style fogs, but the webpage layout is total garbage. It's not the LEDs at the bottom, it's the chromed bulbs in the top right. http://www.hq-auto-lighting.co.uk/popup_image.php/pID/404

Oooh ooh shiny, may I have one please? Red.

So, after considerable sniffing around the web, I'm liking... Plate http://www.amazon.co.uk/T10-WEDGE-CANBUS-SIDELIGHTS-AUDI/dp/B004U0VS5C/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1363986709&sr=8-1 Reverse http://www.amazon.co.uk/7443-Wedge-White-Signal-Light/dp/B00AKTLTHO/ref=sr_1_2?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1363983334&sr=1-2 Indicator http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CHROME-Indicator-Bulbs-SILVATEC-BU582-T20-Capless-Wedge-/150512894718?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item230b4482fe Fog http://www.hq-auto-lighting.co.uk/silver-red-12v-w21w-7440-3156-t20-bulbs-pair/ Interior Dome http://www.autobulbsdirect.co.uk/269-4-led-festoon-bulbs-30mm.html and just to embrace my inner rude boy a little bit....Interior Boot http://www.amazon.co.uk/XENON-CANBUS-ERROR-SIDELIGHTS-BULBS/dp/B0087OBAFK/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1363997761&sr=8-6

Thanks gents. I used the vehicle check for the indicators, does this mean not everything I read on the Internet is true? ;-)

Thanks Sam, really appreciate some working links.

+1 "Buy a PC!", good one, had me laughing for ages...

So my crystal rear clusters arrived and I've been searching all over to find appropriate replacement LEDs for the fog and reverse bulbs, big problem I've found is that lots of the advice in threads contains links to ebay items which have now gone, and the thread posts don't consistently state the LED spec or detail on which LEDs are tried and tested winners. I think these are ok, but would really appreciate if someone could just confirm they'll be good to simply plug and play please. I'm leaving the indicators as bulbs as the faff of doing the resistors is too much for me. For reverse and fog: 7443HP red or white http://www.autobulbsdirect.co.uk/ABD-7443HP-21/5W-54-LED-WEDGE-WHITE-and-RED.html To remove fried egg indicators: 581 Phillips Silver Vision http://www.autobulbsdirect.co.uk/581-Philips-Silver-Vision-indicator-bulbs.html Also any suggestions for the license plate, to go LED instead of bulb? Thanks.

I'm down with kids me! Looking forward to seeing some photos of this project when it's done and also how you get on with the plastidip. I watched some of the videos on youtube, looks great. How long do you think you'll keep it that way?

It was a (clearly failed) attempt at humour!! What I was trying to say is that "feds" is a pretty cool thing to go for. It probably would have made more sense if the 't' from street wasn't missing. It's the kind of chat I hear the youngster using out and about on the mean streets of Blackpool from time to time.

Surely it's got to be "Feds" or maybe " Fedz" with a nod to the Z? Pretty stree bro, believe.

Yes, hugely. Thanks scubapics Takes me back to Physics and Technology classes at school...

I know I'm a bit late here but IMHO great idea this. I got some crystal fog/reverse/indicator lenses from across the pond, no clue what to put in them with comflicting reports on the internet at large, don't want to remove until I have some replacement bits. Thanks for kicking it off TomS.

Cheryl's thigh tattoo is the rudest thing on earth! Not familiar with the back, I'll do some research later. Which reminds me, I need to clean the glass on my iPad...